By Ayo Kehinde
Following a query by Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, directing immediate investigations into a suit challenging the legality of the States’ Judicial Panel of Inquiry investigating allegations by citizens against officers of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, the Nigeria Police Force on Friday applied to withdraw the suit.
The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1492/2020 was filed on November 9, 2020 by the NPF, through its lawyer, O. M. Atoyebi (SAN), to stop various panels probing allegations of rights abuses and other acts of impunity by police officials, particularly men of the disbanded SARS.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police Frank Mba, confirmed the query in a statement on Thursday.
Mba said Adamu expressed the disapproval of the Force Management Team to the suit and ordered investigations into the alleged role of the Force Legal Section, including its Head.
The Force Legal Officer has been queried over the issue and may face further sanctions if found guilty of dereliction of duty, Mba said.
In the notice of discontinuance filed early on Friday by a lawyer to the NPF, Festus Ibude, reads: “Take notice that the plaintiff herein intends to and doth hereby wholly withdraws its suit against all the defendants.”
Listed as defendants in the case include the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the attorneys-general of the states and chairmen of the panels set up by the states.
